Remigius schaefer



(No Model.)

- R., AEFER.

-BUNG.

No. 515,095. Patented Feb. 20, 1894. F y-i WITNESSES:

YYYYYYYYYYYYY HoeRAPuma COMPANY.

NITE STATES ATENT rrrcn.

REMIGIUS SCHAEFER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VENT-BUNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,095, dated February 20, 1894.

Application filed December 7, 1893. Serial No- 492,966. (No model.)

- which they are stored, without the necessity of drawing the contents of a large cask into a small cask, the vent-bung preventing the formation of fungi and turbidity in the liquids, as the air that is drawn in through the vent-bung is purified of all impurities and saturated with alcoholic vapors, which tend to keep an atmosphere of antiseptic character above the body of wine in the cask or barrel.

The invention consists of a vent-bung which is composed of a receptacle provided with a suitable lining and a central venttube, a tightly fitting cap that is screwed into the main part or receptacle, anda vent-tube provided with a stop-cock which extends from the upper part to near the bottom of the receptacle, as will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of a cask, filled with a still liquid, such as a Rhine wine or other still wines and provided with my improved vent-bung. Fig. 2 isavertical transverse section of my improved vent-bung drawn on a larger scale, and Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections respectively, on line 3-3, and 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the main piece of my improved vent-bung, which is made in the nature of a hollow receptacle that is provided at its interior with a suitable lining a of sheet-metal and a solid bottom plug ct. The lining is provided at its upper end with a shoulder a and an interior screw-thread a for allowing the closing of Between the threaded lower part of the cap B and the shoulder a of the lining a, as well as between the upper edge of the receptacle A and the cap B are respectively interposed elastic gaskets I) Z), of leather or other suitable material, which serve to produce the hermetical sealing of the receptacle, so that no air can pass into the same.

In the bottom a of the receptacle A is screwed a vent-pipe O which communicates with a bore 0 in the lower part of the receptacle A, so as to establish the connection between the interior of the receptacle and the cask. A second vent-tube D extends from a point near the upper part of the receptacle to near the bottom of the same, the upper end being connected with a pipe D that passes through the outside of the same, its outer end being provided with a stop-cock D as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The connection between the pipe D and the receptacle is made in an air-tight manner. The interior of the hollow receptacle A is filled with alcohol or any other suitable antiseptic liquid, such as a solution of salicylic acid, care being taken that the level of the liquid does not rise above the level of the upper end of the vent-tube D.

My improved vent-bung is used as fol lows :--When it is driven into a cask, the contents of which are to be drawn off at difierent times, it is driven tightly in the bung-hole and the stop-cock D of the vent-tube D is set to permit air to enter into the interior of the bung. As soon as the faucet Pis opened and the liquid drawn from the cask, the air is drawn in through the vent-tube D and compelled to percolate through the body of alcohol or other antiseptic liquid in the receptacle, so as to be purified of all adhering bacilli or micro-organisms, it being then conducted through the central vent-tube O to the interior of the cask. In its passage through the antiseptic solution in the receptacle'A, the air carries along some of the vapors of the same so as to fill the space above the liquid in the cask with a mixture of at mospheric air and alcoholic vapors, which prevents the formation of any fungi on the surface of the liquid in the'cask. As the cask is gradually drawn 01f, the level of the liquid in the same is lowered and the space above filled with the before-described mixture of air and vapors. Owing to the antiseptic character of these vapors, itis not necessary to draw off the entire body of air from the cask and transfer it into another smaller cask as has been practiced in the wine trade before. When the required quantity of 1iquid is drawn ofi, the faucet is closed and also the stop-cock of the vent-tube D, so that no air can pass into the cask, whereby the liquid in the same is only placed in contact with the mixture of air and antiseptic vapors collected in the empty space above the liquid.

By the use of my improved vent-bung, the entire body of liquid in the casks can be drawn offwithout any deterioration of the liquid or formation of fungi on the same. The vent-bung serves therefore, as an important and time saving device for beers, Rhine wines and other still wines, as it dispenses with-the arduous labor of transferring the contents of a partly emptied cask into smaller casks.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A vent-bung,consistingof a main wooden body forming a receptacle, a screw-threaded metallic lining fitting tightly therein, a screwthreaded cap for engaging the screw-threads of said lining, a vent-tube in said receptacle, passing through the body of the same, and a second vent-tube extending to near the bottom of the receptacle and passing through the same to the outside, being provided with a stop-cock at its outer end, substantially as set forth.

2. A vent-bung, consisting of a main-body forming a receptacle, ashouldered lining fitting tightly therein, a cap adapted to be screwed into the upper end of the lining, a gasket interposed between the cap and the shoulder of the lining, a vent-tube in said receptacle, pa ssing through the body of the same,

and a second vent-tube extending to near the bottom of the receptacle and passing through the same to the outside, being provided with a stop-cock at its outer end, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing-witnesses.

- RElVllGrIUSv SGHAEFER.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, K. R. BRENNAN. 

